HARTFORD, Conn. -- Coming off a dramatic victory over Amherst in double overtime, the Bates football team heads to Hartford this Saturday to take on the Bantams of Trinity College, a perennial NESCAC power.
Bates (1-0 NESCAC) held Amherst to only 238 yards of total offense last week, while Trinity (0-1 NESCAC) gained just 195 yards of total offense in a loss to Colby.
However, Bates has lost 28 straight games to the Bantams dating back to 1979 and they have not defeated Trinity in Hartford since 1964. History is on the line this week, as the Bobcats are 1-0 for the first time since 1999. With a win, Bates would be 2-0 for the first time since 1979. Meanwhile, Trinity is trying to avoid starting 0-2 for the first time since 1995.
THE PARTICULARS:
What: Bates (1-0) @ Trinity (0-1)
When: Saturday, Sept. 20, 1 p.m.
Where: Hartford, Conn. | Jessee/Miller Field
Live Coverage: Video | Stats
All-Time Series: Trinity leads 42-7
Last Meeting: Trinity 28, Bates 7 (Lewiston, Maine | Sept. 21, 2024)
TRINITY'S LAST TIME OUT:
Colby stunned Trinity, grinding out a 13-6 win last Saturday in Waterville, a rare loss for the team that has won five NESCAC championships in the last eight years.
The Mules entered the contest as heavy underdogs, not having beaten Trinity in the last 30 years. The first half was a defensive slugfest as Colby forced two turnovers, including a fumble recovered deep in their own territory by Michael Williams.
With 9:28 left in the first quarter, the Bantams ripped off a five-play, 60-yard drive, capped with a 20-yard bubble screen from junior Jaxon Carroll to senior Nolan O'Brien to hand Trinity the 6-0 lead.
Colby quarterback Miles Drake led a 15-play, 65-yard drive late in the second quarter to put Colby at the doorstep, but the Mules were turned away by a goal-line interception, leaving the Bantams ahead 6-0 at the break.
The turning point came midway through the third quarter as Colby shut down a Trinity scoring threat that would have opened up a two-score lead. Safety Ameer White intercepted a pass at the Colby 16 and returned it near midfield. Despite punting on the ensuing possession, Colby pinned the Bantams deep and set up the Mules defense for the play of the game. With heavy pressure in the pocket, an errant pass found its way into the lap of defensive tackle Montrail Holmes, who took the ball into the end zone for a defensive touchdown that put Colby ahead 7-6.
Colby's offense put together its best drive of the day in the fourth quarter, covering 74 yards in just under four minutes. Running back Antone Moreis capped the march with a two-yard plunge into the end zone to stretch the lead to 13-6. The two opponents traded punts on consecutive series, with Colby's final punt of the game coming in the form of a quick kick on 4th-and-short near midfield. Lining up as if to attempt the fourth down conversion, Drake retreated in the backfield prior to the snap and executed a 49-yard punt that settled on the Trinity 8-yard line for their final possession. The Colby defense responded with three straight stops, including back-to-back sacks by Cooper Bunnell and Jack Mullen to push the Bantams backwards. Safety Christopher Milmoe sealed the win with the Mules' fourth interception of the day, allowing Colby to kneel out the clock.
Statistically, the Mules leaned on their defense, holding Trinity to just 195 yards of total offense and a meager 1.7 yards per rush. Colby had seven sacks for a fantastic season start, with Mullen and Bunnell combining for 5.5. Drake was efficient through the air, throwing for 192 yards while connecting with Jack Nye (seven receptions, 99 yards) and Sean Trinder (17-yard grab) on key third-down conversions.
BATES' LAST TIME OUT:
Junior
Marcos Ruiz kicked a 24-yard field goal to win the game and senior quarterback
Jack Perry threw three touchdown passes as the Bates football team rallied from 16 points down to defeat the Amherst College Mammoths 26-23 in double overtime Saturday afternoon at Garcelon Field.
It's the first Bates football game to go to overtime since 2014 and the first to go to more than one overtime since 2006. Bates is now 5-4 all-time in overtime games.
Trailing 23-7 through three quarters, the Bobcats (1-0 NESCAC) flipped the script in the fourth quarter, scoring 16 unanswered points to force the extra session. Neither team scored in the first overtime, and the Bates defense shut down the Mammoths (0-1 NESCAC) to begin the second OT.
Needing any sort of score to win the game and starting per overtime rules at the Amherst 25, junior captain
Ryan Lynskey (Cranford, N.J.) ran the ball nine yards down to the 16 to start the double OT possession for Bates. Senior
Jack Morrall (Hopkinton, N.H.) picked up the first down with a two-yard plunge to the 14. Then on 2nd and 10, senior captain
Sergio Beltran (East Palo Alto, Calif.) rushed for four yards down to the Mammoth 10. He got the ball three yards closer on the next play to the seven, setting up Ruiz (Haskell, N.J.) for the game-winning kick.
Ruiz lined it up and split the uprights, setting off a wild celebration at Garcelon Field. The Bobcats won in front of a packed house filled with six decades worth of Bates football players, as the program is celebrating 150 years since the first game in team history.
Bates led 7-0 at halftime, but Amherst scored 23 points in a tough third quarter for the home team. The Mammoths got the ball with 12:27 remaining in regulation, up by 16. On second and eight from their own 29, running back Demitrius Smith fumbled the football as he failed to secure the hand-off. Junior captain
Ryan Rozich (Cromwell, Conn.) jumped on it and the Bobcats were in business.
Perry (Newbury, Mass.) entered the game having completed one pass in his collegiate career. He completed 7-14 passes for 110 yards on Saturday, finding three different receivers for touchdowns. Perry and the Bobcats took advantage of the great field position, with Perry finding junior
Ryan Gleason (Millbury, Mass.) for six yards to the Amherst 23. A four-yard pass to Beltran moved the sticks and Perry followed that up with a 19-yard strike to sophomore
Jeff Vidou (Cornish, N.H.) in the back corner of the end zone. Vidou jumped over his defender and was able to high-point the ball for the score, reeling it in after a slight bobble on the way down.
Vidou's first career touchdown catch pulled Bates to within 10 at 23-13 with 10:24 remaining. The Bobcats went for two but a Perry rush got stopped shy of the end zone.
On the ensuing drive, the Bates defense made another huge play. Facing 3rd and 11 from their own 17, Amherst quarterback Marek Hill dropped back to pass. Senior
Jackson Collins (Glen Ridge, N.J.) got a piece of Hill's arm from behind, causing the ball to deflect high into the air. Senior
Shane Broughton (Arlington, Mass.) made an outstanding diving catch for the interception, once again giving the Bates offense great field position. The Bobcats got the ball down to the Amherst 10 on a pair of Lynskey rushes. The drive stalled and Ruiz kicked a 27-yard field goal, trimming the deficit to 23-16 with 7:57 left in the fourth quarter.
The Mammoths went three-and-out, and an Efe Ilgar punt was downed at the Bates 32. Bates moved the ball, thanks to a 19-yard pass from Perry to Beltran, but they too eventually had to punt.
Amherst got the ball back at their own 10 with 4:46 remaining. Once again, the Bobcats forced a three-and-out, as three rushes produced a total of zero yards for the visitors. Stuck deep in their own territory, the ensuing Amherst punt gave Bates the ball back at Mammoth 45.
Perry connected with Gleason for 10 yards, taking the game down to the two-minute warning. On the first play out of the timeout, Perry stepped up in the pocket and ripped a perfect 35-yard pass down the seam to sophomore
Quinn Carver (Boston) in the end zone. Carver snuck behind two Amherst defenders and caught the ball in stride for his first career touchdown. Ruiz made the extra point and the game stood tied at 23 with 1:52 remaining.
The Bobcats stopped the Mammoths on their next drive, and Perry took a knee to send the game to overtime.
Amherst won the coin toss and elected to go on defense to start the extra session. The first OT did not go well for the Bates offense, with a couple negative plays setting up a 4th and 23. A long pass from Perry to Gleason fell incomplete, leaving Amherst with a golden opportunity to win the game.
Once again, the Bates defense rose to the task. First-year
Liam Keaney (Swampscott, Mass.) stopped a Smith run for a loss of one. Then two long passes down the near sideline from Hill to Christian Moore fell incomplete, with strong coverage from sophomore
Samuel Christopher (Los Angeles) forcing a fourth down and a 43-yard field goal attempt. Amherst kicker Hudson Fulcher-Melendy missed wide right, sending the game to double overtime.
The Mammoths got the ball to start the second overtime. Rozich stopped a Sam Gerber run for a loss of two. Then Hill found Smith for four yards to the Bates 23. On third and eight, sophomore linebacker
Carmel Crunk (Lancaster, Calif.) pressured Hill, chasing him to the near side and forcing a pass attempt that fell into the hands of an offensive lineman. The illegal touching penalty included a loss of down and suddenly the Mammoths faced fourth and 21 at the Bates 36. A pass attempt to Carter Jung fell incomplete, setting up the Bobcats with a chance to win the game.
And they did, for their first home win over Amherst since 1999.
BATES' AND TRINITY'S LAST MEETING:
The Bates football team got a solid effort from their defense and 102 rushing yards from
Ryan Lynskey in a 28-7 loss to perennial NESCAC power Trinity last year at Garcelon Field.
The Bobcats got a stop on defense to start the game, but Trinity faked a punt and upback Jack Tosone ran the ball 56 yards to the end zone for a touchdown, giving the Bantams an early 7-0 lead they did not relinquish.
Bates went three-and-out on their opening drive, but the Bobcat defense got a big fourth-down stop on Trinity's next possession as safety
Jack Morrison (Manchester Center, Vt.) stopped Tosone for just a one-yard gain on fourth and three from the Bates 21.
The Bobcats were forced to punt on their next drive and Trinity's Nolan O'Brien returned the kick 37 yards to the Bates 43. The Bantams took advantage of the good field position, as Zander Zebrowski found Sean Clapp on third and goal from the Bates 10 for a touchdown, putting Trinity up 14-0 with 14:06 left in the second quarter.
Bates moved the ball well on their next drive with quarterback
Seneca Moore (Lansing, Mich.), running back
Jack Morrall (Hopkinton, N.H.), and Lynskey (Cranford, N.J.) taking turns running the ball to get the Bobcats to the Trinity 40. But the Bantams stopped a run on third down to force a punt. The Bobcats were able to flip the field position as punter
Parker Huynh-Benningfield (Austin, Texas) pinned Trinity at their own 14-yard line.
Then the Bobcat defense did their part once again. On third and 10 from the Trinity 25,
Josh Ezerioha (Laurel Run, Pa.) broke through the Bantam offensive line and sacked Zebrowski back at the 12, forcing a punt.
Bates started the ensuing drive on the Trinity 47, but a big interception by Reynold Martini stopped the home team in their tracks.
The defense got another stop on the next Trinity drive and Bates trailed 14-0 at halftime.
Unfortunately, it was more of the same for the Bobcats in the second half, with the offense struggling to get things going. After forcing a Bates punt to start the third quarter, Trinity went on their first extended drive of the afternoon. The Bantams went 69 yards on nine plays, culminating in a four-yard touchdown pass from Zebrowski to Clapp, putting the Bantams up 21-0 with 7:42 to go in the third.
The teams traded punts and the Bobcats got the ball back with 4:17 to go in the quarter. On 3rd and 13 from their own 19, quarterback
Colton Bosselait (Westminster, Mass.) found tight end
Steven Guerrette (Bow, N.H.) for a 42-yard gain to the Trinity 39. It was the first pass completion for positive yards on the day for Bates.
A pair of big Lynskey runs put the ball at the Trinity 14 as the quarter came to a close. Five straight Lynskey runs to start the fourth quarter ended with a one-yard plunge into the end zone to cut the deficit to 21-7 with 12:50 remaining in regulation after
Marcos Ruiz (Haskell, N.J.) made the extra point.
Bates got another stop on defense, only for an interception to end their next drive, as Ma-Lyke Davis picked off Bosselait at midfield and returned the ball to the Bobcat 30.
Four plays later, Zebrowski found O'Brien for a nine-yard touchdown, putting the Bantams up by 21 at 28-7 with 6:18 left.
Two more Trinity interceptions secured the win for the visitors.
